Lord Shadow - Chapter 1573: Old Wanderer

“That old man could feel from that moment when the message came that something is wrong. It is like an instinct of sorts. Surviving all those life and death encounter, it is understandable that he develops a certain kind of sense toward danger”

“When he opens the tube, there is a scroll. He knew that in the scroll, there is a name. And when he reads the name, he was shocked. The name is Azief”

“his eyes widened. ‘Well…is this really the target? Is the HQ going crazy?’ the old man said to himself. The organization has never had any conflict with that person and it has always been a policy of this organization not to try to stir any conflict with that person.”

When Erika spoke this time, her voice turns into a voice of an old man. Erika make a motion like she is tightly holding something

“And the old man called the people on top”

‘Is the Higher up really intending to target this person?’ The old man ask ‘Hmm. Hmm. Hmm’ The old man nodded his head as he listens to the higher ups. And then he sighed.

‘I will relay the orders to the Operatives in the Field. But….this intel better be good. Or we will be sending our operatives to their death’

“The old man then enters a chamber. In this chamber there are many new. The old man went to The Seat. It is somewhat throne looking seat. However instead of being made of marble stone or stone throne seat it is made of wires and electronic devices. He sits himself on that throne as something from the chair jutted out. It is an electrical cord that looks like a snake as it rises up. Then it pierced itself onto the hole on top of the old man head as his eyes turns cloudy and he lean down on the throne”

“His mind travel the whole world as it connected with all of the announcement device in other secret buildings of the organization that is spread out all over the world. His voice then announced, as all of the organization devices picked up his announcement”

There is a pause for a second then Erika voice changes and her voice echoes again inside the chamber

“‘A new target has been decided. Danger level: SSS+. The organization has decided to accept the job. There is only a limited time window for us to finish this task as the condition of the target is only vulnerable for now. One must depart now after getting the task. The completion reward is posted along with the target location later”

‘Your new target is Death Monarch”

Hearing this Antonius quickly realize who this Inkwell was.

“The Messenger!”

At the same time, Eriak eyes turns to normal.

She nodded and she smiles

“He is the Messenger. And he is Inkwell. Because his job is to use ink to write names of soon to be dead people. A well of ink to write a thousand names” and she laughed.

Most people get their nickname from their powers, or their unique features.

Like herself who once known as the Oracle.

Then when her power grew and her influence grew, people called her the Great Oracle.

And then when the world saw her with only one eye, people called her the One-Eyed Oracle to distinguish her from other clairvoyants.

Even though there is not many clairvoyants in the world, there is still a few of them. Erika knew for a fact that Lotus Order also have a fortune teller in their capital, and that the Crime Alliance also have their own clairvoyants.

Most world powers and powerful forces all over the world have one or two people with the abilities of clairvoyance but what sets Erika apart from the other is that never once, her prediction veered of path and never once her prediction is wrong.

And because of that when people spoke of Great Oracle, everyone understand who this Great oracle is referring to

But Inkwell is different.

“I thought he was dead. I heard rumours that Void kills him”

Erika laughed at this

” the whole Crime Alliance thought he was dead”

“A charade?” Antonius asked

“a charade” she replied

“Inkwell wanted to run away from that moment” she sighed a but as she closes her eyes and bitterly smiles

“He was always the most level headed person in the Dark Syndicate. He knows that the Crime Alliance could not fight against Death Monarch. Probably at that time he could already see the future that the Crime Alliance would be suppressed by Death Monarch and the world powers”

Antonius listening to this sighed.

Right now, the whole world take it for granted that the Crime Alliance would fail against the world power but those who lives at the time of the Crime Alliance peak of power would probably not see it that clearly

During that time, the Crime Alliance was expanding at an unprecedented rate. They even have cities and countries under their thumb.

At that time, the world powers of the world was not as united as it is today.

At that time, there seems to be? trend that the Criem Alliance could be another force to be reckoned.

Of course, now they are like things that could be beaten at will. And that is probably because the world power is united and when they are united, how could the Crime Alliance withstand such force that could render Heaven and Earth apart?

The fact that Inkwell could see this shows he is also a smart person in the world. It is not so easy to be so objective when you are in the game

But he did. And in a way, Antonius admire that. So, his sigh is long and full of regrets.

Erika did not know what Antonius is thinking about right now but she keeps explaining things about Inkwell

“He believes that if the Crime Alliance wanted to become strong, they should remain in the shadows and not try to meddle in the matters of the world power”

“Light might not always win against darkness. But if Darkness try to encroach openly, those who are in the light would band together and even those who are affected by darkness would be affected and join with the Light”

She sighed and then chuckles

“He believes the Darkness should be dark, unassuming, formless and not be stupid and reveal themselves to the light. That is what terrifying about darkness. The unpredictability, the uncertainty. The unknown. Once it is known, once light is pointed to it, Darkness is not that terrifying anymore” she laughed.

Antonius then asked

“Are you happy? Or is it something I do not understand again? Antonius asked. Erika shook her head.

“This time, I am laughing because I am happy.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to end a war” she said and she smirks. But Antonius did not understand. But he is used to it. Not understanding.

After all, he lives in the present. And he sees only the present. At times, he would recall some past memories. But Erika is different. Her eyes sees through past, present and future.

It might seem like a great ability but he had seen many times where Eriak would be confused on where she is and when she is at.

She called it Time Concussion.

At times, she is so engrossed in a certain point in the timeline that she might not be able to recognise where she is and when she is at a certain point of time.

And that would drive anyone crazy.

Sometimes, even when she is at the present, she wonders whether she is walking in the present or she is walking inside an illusion of the past, a feeling of a déjà vu that is never ending.

So, he do not pretend to understand. He decided only to listen and try to empathize.

He sighed and then ask

“what do you want me to do to him? Should I kill him?”

“No, just watch over him. It is not time yet” She then leans her back to the tree and Antonius that this is his que to leave.

Antonius leave and the Oracle close her eyes, divining past, present and future

…

Below the mountain, there is an old man. This old man walk along the mountain path, passing through the shacks of the Acolytes of the Oracle.

But none of these acolytes saw this old man. They did not see this old man and they did not see the two wolves accompanying him

This old man wears an eyepatch on his right eye and he walk with two wolves and two ravens. The ravens could be seen by the Acolytes but the Acolytes did not care that much seeing ravens.

After all, they also have ravens around their shack and hut. This old man has a long unkempt beard and he wear grey robe.

But even though he looks like a humble old man, what humble old man walk the Sacred Way and at such a time?

What kind of an old man who could hide himself from the eyes of the Acolytes of the Oracle?

What kind of an old man that his presence is not even noticed by the Great Oracle himself?

The old man look around and he smiles as he saw the tributes, gold and minerals all over the side of the Sacred Way.

“What a familiar aura. A bit of the Norns, a bit of the Three Fates” but he shakes his head and laugh a bit.

“Borgan aura. Her child. Her hope. And her dreams”

And the old man sigh

This kind of old man that could hide himself to tis extent is certainly an extraordinary old man.

And even though he walks in a humble way, there is an air of mystery that he is shrouded with.

When he looks around, his eyes are piercing and he sees things other did not.

His gaze gives the impression that he possesses great insight into the world’s secrets. When he walks the Sacred Way, he walk up with a staff.

It is more accurate to say that it is a walking stick. On his waist, there is a pouch. This old man with one eye is the ruler of Asgard and the Eight Realms

Odin Allfather.

He had seen that last survivor, the last son of Yrinia and he could see that the Fates has a hold on him

“What a….dirty deal” he sighed and then said

“May you escape all the bitter things which the wreathed spindle of apportioned Moira has spun for your fate — if the threads of the Moirai ever obey!”

In the Temple of the Fates, Clotho stop spinning her thread. Lachesis stop measuring and Atropos stopped cutting

They all looked at each other and their eyes are cloudy and they snorted

“Odin” the moment Odin refers to tehri name, they could hear it.

Even though they are separated by trillions of galaxies and trillion of light ears, separated by all kinds of dimension between then, they could still hear someone calling their name.

“The One Who Spins, the One Who Allot and the Unturning”

Odin words echoes in their ears.

If any mortals dare spoke the way Odin spoke about them, they would already use the power of fate to play around.

And why is it that they are angry?

Simple.

Odin spoke of them in such disdain. But they could not do anything.

Those who reached Odin level has jump out from calculations of fate.

The only fate and destiny that could restrain them, is the fate and destiny that is written in that Writer book.

The One with the typewriter.

The One in that garden.

Only His fate could not be changed if he decided on it. But, His love is strong and so, there is always a chance. Always some hope. Always a little bit of love.

And Odin….he is seeking for that chance, for that hope.

Odin look at the skies and his eyes pierces straight through the Temple of Fates and it was almost like the Three Fates and him is looking and starting at each other

Odin laughed and avert his gaze and not before long, he arrives near the temple of Delphi.

And then he releases his aura and the Oracle opens her eyes.

And she flew to the front of the Temple. On the steps of the temple, she saw an old man. Her eyes narrowed. n/)-//-(-)(-(I)/n

Odin in the guise of a wanderer look behind him and see the Oracle. He smile sand said

“Greetings, wise Oracle. I have heard of your renowned foresight, and I seek your guidance”

And Oracle eyes narrows even more

The wind blows the cold mountain air, and the howling of wolves in the distance could no longer be heard and roars of the Minotaur quietened

Only an old man and a seer of the future looking at each other, I front of the steps of the Temple of Delphi

…